Hello everyone,
Please start by downloading the latest version of volume D03.
If you are new to the course, please read this message to familiarize yourself with the conditions for participating in the lessons. You should also read the first message in lesson 1, where you will find advice on how to make the most of your study time and on the methods of practising that I recommend.

Today, we're going to work on a series of exercises.
- page 90, numbers 16, 17 - Jean-François DELCAMP - SCALES
When changes of position are needed, you will be using the "position shift" technique. Position I is the left hand position where the index finger (1) is placed behind the 1st fret, position V is the hand position where the index (1) is placed behind the fifth fret, etc. The position shift involves moving the left hand along the neck, from position to position, from fret to fret. In the scales we're looking at today, notice that my first finger never leaves the first string, I use it as a guide for my hand. Position shifts are shown by oblique lines linking two fingering indications given for the same finger.
The following videos are for numbers 16, 17 on page 90. Concentrate your practice on the passages highlighted in yellow, and do your best to perfect the position shift technique.

- Page 95, numbers 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Jean-François DELCAMP - SLURS
We have already worked on the rest stroke (apoyando) with the fingers of the right hand. Now we are going to work on doing a rest stroke with the fingers of the left hand. That is the best way to learn how to execute descending slurs.

Finally, we'll look at 4 pieces, pages 39, 42, 43, 56 et 58.
- page 39 Ferdinand CARULLI (1770-1841) PRELUDE N°4 opus 114
Practise playing this arpeggio while keeping 3 fingers on the strings throughout. Doing it this way will teach you to make the necessary finger movement without it triggering involuntary and unwanted movements by the other fingers.

- pages 42-43 Ferdinand CARULLI (1770-1841) VALSE

- page 56 Niccolò PAGANINI (1782-1840) GHIRIBIZZO n°1
There are numerous repetitions, so vary the tone colour to avoid monotony. To obtain different tone colours, play:
- over the soundhole (the sound volume is at its best here and you get a good balance between the bass and treble notes);
- over the fingerboard (the sound here is softer, closer to the that of a clarinet, and the basses are softened);
- near the bridge (the sound here is more metallic, and becomes close to that of the harpsichord, the basses are strengthened and the trebles weakened).

- page 58 Dionisio AGUADO (1784-1849) LECCION N°19
Practise playing this arpeggio while keeping 2 fingers on the strings throughout. Doing it this way will teach you to make the necessary finger movement without it triggering involuntary and unwanted movements by the other fingers.

I ask you first to work on all these exercises and pieces for one week and then to post your recordings on the forum for:
- page 39 Ferdinand CARULLI (1770-1841) PRELUDE N°4 opus 114
- page 56 Niccolò PAGANINI (1782-1840) GHIRIBIZZO n°1

Good luck!

I thank Geoff (GeoffB) who has helped in the translation of my lessons into English.

Tom - very nice job on the required assignments. I am actually finding the Prelude more difficult than the PAGANINI (We will see if that remains true when I record it). My fingers start getting lazy on the constant repetition of the i-m-a movement and they start tripping over each other.

Tom - very nice job on the required assignments. I am actually finding the Prelude more difficult than the PAGANINI (We will see if that remains true when I record it). My fingers start getting lazy on the constant repetition of the i-m-a movement and they start tripping over each other.

Ed

Thanks Ed. Good point on the Prelude. I find multi page pieces give me trouble for the same reason. I often wonder how the pros play for 10 minutes straight, or longer, without any errors (that I notice anyway ).

Hi Ed, nice start. Your tempo has really come a long way (I know I've said this before)! Your playing sounds better as a result

A couple of general observations:

Your playing sounds "tinny" in general. This was very noticeable in the slurs piece, you may have been snapping or pressing the string too hard with the left hand.

At times, I thought you may be plucking upwards as you play. You might want to reposition your computer so the RH is visible and check this.

Aguado Lesson 19, and Carulli Prelude: You were lifting too early when changing chords, resulting in open strings being played in between chord changes, and inadvertent note muting in other cases. The Aguado piece requires string mutes with the left hand, I couldn't tell for sure but I think you may have left that out? The Carulli Prelude had four-chord and two-chord repeats. It sounded like you played the two-chord parts as three-chords in some cases.